The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

It’s National Grilled Cheese Day! Give a nod to the dish that created some of your favorite childhood memories and make a gooey, cheesy, toasty sandwich to celebrate. Use the best Cheddar cheese and crusty sourdough bread or pain au levain you can find to take this classic over the top, and for a real treat, pair it with a cup of rich tomato soup.

Grilled Cheese

3/4 lb. mild cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

8 slices sourdough bread or pain au levain

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Heat a griddle or 2 large frying pans over medium heat until hot. For each sandwich, place one-fourth of the cheese on top of 1 bread slice and top with a second bread slice. Spread the outsides of each sandwich with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Place on the griddle, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the undersides are golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and brown the other side, 3–4 minutes more. Serve at once. Serves 4.

Variation: With just three ingredients, this sandwich is perfect as is. But there are countless variations — try adding ham or tomato slices before grilling for a twist.

6 comments

LisaApril 12, 2016 - 12:59 pm

It’s just a simple grilled cheese, that’s what makes it “the ultimate.” Also the fact it’s made with sour dough bread and not plain white sandwich bread. It’s not meant to have tons of other ingredients , it’s just a very good GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH.